Legion Baseball: Princeton defeats North Branch

.Dan Muench and Riley Miller hit back-to-back triples while Zack Ludwig had a run and two RBIs to lead the Princeton American Legion baseball team to a 5-2 victory over North Branch Monday at Solheim Field.

After a scoreless first inning, North Branch jumped out to a 2-0 lead on an error and a fielder’s choice by Thomas Kinsella and Blake Jorgenson.

But those would be the only runs Princeton pitcher Zack Ludwig would give up the rest of the night.

Ludwig hit a lead-off double in the fourth inning and scored on a Muench single two batters later to trail North Branch 2-1.

In the fifth inning, Nick Zeroth reached base on a lead-off walk and then stole second. Dalton Mattson then hit a two-out single that advanced Zeroth to third. Mattson stole second to put runners at second and third.

That’s when Ludwig came to the plate. He hit a single that brought in Zeroth and Mattson.

Up 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Princeton batters Zeroth and Miller achieved a rare feat by hitting back-to-back triples on their way to sparking Princeton to two more runs.

Zeroth hit the first triple. Miller brought Zeroth in for his second run of the night with a triple of his own. Miller then scored on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Zeroth to give Princeton a 5-2 win.

Princeton improved to 4-3 on the season with the win. The boys face Milaca tonight (Thursday, June 28) at 6:30 p.m. at Solheim Field. They then host Mora in a doubleheader at home on Monday, July 2. They are then off until Monday, July 9 when they travel to Chisago Lakes.